Holiday Party Series: Mingling

Holiday parties used to cause me severe anxiety issues. Especially those parties that involved meeting a lot of new people. I was so worried about saying the right thing, that sometimes I would just not say anything at all. It was very intimidating, as a new professional, to approach a group of strangers.

Through time and practice, however, it got much better. Looking back now I wonder why I thought those nice people were so scary and judgemental.

Here are a few tips I've collected over the years that will hopefully help you out.

Most people are friendly, so don't be nervous about approaching a circle and joining the conversation. If there's a quiet moment, when you're not interuppting someone, quickly introduce yourself and what you do. If there's a bit of awkward silence at the beginning, don't let it turn you off, it's probably just the cocktails kicking in.

People love to talk about themselves. Keep asking questions. Compliment them. (I like to remind myself of this whenever I do feel nervous about saying the right thing.) If you keep the other person talking, they'll leave that evening thinking that you were an amazing conversationalist.

Don't glue yourself to your best friend all night. We accomplish much more, and we're much happier in the long run, if we let ourselves step outside our comfort zone. Plus, you'll have something to chat about with your friend at your personal after-party.

I love this tip the most: pretend that this is your own party and that you are the host/hostess. Make believe that it's your job to work the entire room and make sure that everyone is enjoying him/herself.

Finally, remember to smile and act genuine. You'll be great!

Don't these people look like they're having fun?

Photos from Gowns.